This blog post is written in partnership with and sponsored by Big Lots.

We have lived in our place for over a year and a half now... and every now and again I love to rearrange, reset, and freshen up our home. Sometimes that means new furniture, and sometimes just moving things around and cleaning up our space. This time I'm so excited to be able to do both in a big way! We live such busy lives being entrepreneurs and parents and we've had a list of things we've needed for our home for months now, but we just haven't made the time to go get it all.

Well, the time has come and we're knocking everything off of our to do list for freshening up our home and making it ready for a new season. We are so grateful for Big Lots, it's our one stop shop to making our home festive and functional this fall. We were able to pop into our local Big Lots and thanks to its new design, it was much more convenient for us to shop there and find everything we need.

Giulian is running around the house now, so I’ve been needing to get a steam mop for our kitchen floor and a smaller vacuum for our office since the kitty litter is in there. It’s my job to make sure our home is safe and clean for our little guy, of course, and I've been needing those items for months now. Another must-have on my list is additional storage bins so that we can have more areas to store and organize Giulian's toys.

Big Lots has such an amazing selection when it comes to storage and organization products (every mama’s dream)! I found an amazing four pocket wood storage piece and fabric storage bins that fit perfectly in it. The products also matched our furniture.

Another thing we've been in need of is a new coffee maker! Giulian is a little over one year old and we have been in need of a new one since he was born. The one we had was a pain in the butt and didn't work well. We have been saying we will get a new one for quite some time, we just never made it happen. Why are we such procrastinators?! Well we have one now, thanks to Big Lots! And some delicious Pumpkin flavored coffee and pumpkin spice biscotti to go with it. Big Lots really does have it all in store and makes it so easy to pick up all your needs in one spot.

We have had a larger item that we've needed, a TV stand, but we haven't found the perfect one until stopping by the Big Lots store. We needed one that was our style, a wood color that would match our existing living room furniture, high enough so that the baby couldn't grab the TV and pull it down, heavy and sturdy enough so that it wouldn't tip over onto the baby if he is by the TV stand, no glass (another baby precaution), and within our price range.

That is a very hefty list of TV stand requirements! It’s been super difficult to find one that would fit our lifestyle. When we saw the one we got from Big Lots, Nick and I both got super excited and knew it was perfect, and not to mention so pretty! I love the sliding barn doors (see photos below).

Finally, of course, the main reason I went to Big Lots this fall... decorating! I’m a fall fanatic! It’s my favorite season. Decorating the home to make it warm and festive brings me so much joy! Big Lots has the most adorable fall decor items to match any home style, from country to modern, they’ve got us covered! A few throw pillows, wreath, candles, a centerpiece and ceramic pumpkins was enough to transform our home into the fall space that I was looking for.

My mom is amazing at making the home cozy and festive for every season. That is something that stuck out to me and now that I'm a mom I want to make our home feel the same way. My mom has the most adorable glass pumpkin set she got from Big Lots years ago and it’s still one of the prettiest decor items that my mom owns.

Since I was already at Big Lots getting everything I needed to freshen up our home for fall, I was able to grab basic household essentials that we needed as well. Laundry detergent, coffee, healthy snacks including Kashi crackers and La Croix Sparkling waters, freeze dried mango (the baby loves that), and pumpkin spice biscotti for when we have guests over. It was such a big help that they carried all of those items and I didn't have to go anywhere else.

I want to give a special shoutout to Big Lots for sponsoring this post! I am so grateful to have worked with them. Big Lots is truly an amazing store with high quality products. I had such a wonderful experience and absolutely will be back in the store throughout the entire holiday season.

Three years ago, on October 13th 2014, I started a little website called According To D. Now, my blog has become such a huge part of my life and my passion. I am beyond grateful for what my blog has become, but I also know it's just the beginning in the vision I have for my blog and my brand, there is so much more to come. It's such a nostalgic feeling looking back on old blog posts, I've been through so many amazing life moments through the last three years that I've been able to write about, and share with you all along the way. From being a newlywed, traveling abroad for the first time (and then again for another month), countless travel experiences, to getting pregnant, sharing my pregnancy, birth, and motherhood with you all, and so much more... blogging for me has been truly amazing and I love sharing my life with you and I can't wait to continue to do so.

I look back at old posts and cringe at the bad photos, poor writing and sometimes silly topics... but that's just it- I'm not perfect, I'm not a professional writer, I don't have the best grammar (clearly since I just put grammer and it had that squiggly red line under it indicating I made yet another mistake), or the best ideas or content. But I am real, transparent and a bit goofy. I'm searching to connect with you, share stories with you and in some sort of way do life with you. For those of you who have played a part in my blog, whether it be you've followed me since the beginning or you encouraged me along the way- Thank you! I am so passionate about blogging and everything that goes into it, but it'd be pretty pointless without the community. The community, conversation and the interaction between myself and the readers is why I do it. So thank you for following along and I hope you continue to enjoy.

That brings me to this - I get messages almost weekly of people asking how to start a blog (or other things along those lines), so I thought I'd share some of the biggest things I've learned about blogging throughout the years. Not the technical stuff, you can find that in one of my older posts HERE, but simple tips that will help you as you navigate the blogging world.

Stay Authentic to YOU

As you build your blog, you'll probably get collaboration opportunities, which can be very exciting. I mean who doesn't love some free product or to get paid to review products. But here's the thing, your relationship with your followers is worth way more than anything. So make sure to only do collaborations or represent products that you GENUINELY like and want to share. When you work with a company, you are attaching your name and your brand to theirs. Think to yourself, is this in line with what I want to represent? Does this brand, product or service match my brand? If you are hesitant, don't do it! In the very beginning I would take any collaboration that came my way because I was just excited about the idea of getting free product. For example, one of the first "collabs" I did was with a hair extension company. Were they amazing extensions, sure. Did it make my hair look nice?.. I suppose so. But here's the thing. I don't wear hair extensions and I never will. I have naturally thick hair and to be honest I don't need them. So was that an authentic and genuine collaboration or was I just eager and excited about the idea that a company wanted to send me their expensive product.

It's all good, just like anything in life, you learn, grow and get better. I am now pretty picky about who and what I collaborate with. I say no to collaboration opportunities if they are not a genuine fit with my brand and what I love. If your followers feel like your blog is becoming just a giant AD space and has no authenticity, they will unfollow you and they'll leave your platform with a bad taste in their mouth. Thank about it, you follow bloggers to get their honest opinion on what to wear, try and do and you want to feel like you can trust that they are being honest with you and not just doing it for a paycheck. Well, if you start a blog you need to begin with that mindset too. Treat your followers how you want to be treated. So, in a nutshell, stay true to you.

One last thing on the topic of being authentic is, don't just do a blog post because every blogger is doing it. You'll see posts that become popular and you might feel the pressure to blog about the same thing. The reality is that there are hundreds of millions of blogs in the world and the only thing that will set you apart from them all is if you do you. Share something with your followers that only you can bring to the world. Your stories, your recipes, your experiences, your truths. It might be similar to something that already exists out there, but as long as it's coming from your genuine passion, that will set you apart and attract more followers and readers.

Don't Put Yourself In A Tiny Box - You Change & So Will Your Blog

You've probably heard the quote, if you're not growing then you're dying. Well I don't think any of us are dying here so let's just assume we are all growing and changing all the time. When I first started my blog I was in a totally different season of life than I am now, three years later. Of course one of the largest changes in my life since then is entering motherhood. I am now able to incorporate that into my blog. Your true followers will come back for you. Yes, they love your content, but your main followers are there because they love you and relate with you as a person and they enjoy watching your journey of life through your blog. You are always going to be changing and if you pin yourself into too tiny of a hole then it'll be difficult to make any changes if you ever chose to. You should pick the main focus of your brand and what you want to share with the world and stick to that (I'm not saying be all over the place), but keep it flowing with you and what you're genuinely passionate about. For example, when I first started my blog I thought I would do a ton of DIY posts. Well, turns out I am not that passionate about it and every time I attempted a DIY post, it felt forced and was more work than fun for me. On the flip side, I have found that writing about travel is such a genuine passion for me. And now I get to incorporate my new life into travel posts. Example: 10 Tips For Traveling While Pregnant. Since I am a Lifestyle blogger and cover many areas of Life, that transition was no big shock to my readers.

I want to make myself clear, having a niche is a good thing when it comes to blogging, I'm just saying don't make your niche too tiny to where you can't make any transitions if you wanted to. If you have a blog that is strictly about healthy recipes and you try to throw a random post about makeup in there, you will lose a lot of your followers because they are there only to see healthy recipes.

PC: Shane CO

Set Your Purpose & Stick With It

pur·pose

1. the reason for which something is done or created or for which something exists.

As a blogger, you are a creator. And when you create content, it must stem from a deeper purpose. My purpose for According To D is to be real, transparent and allow my creativity to flow while spreading positivity and connecting with women all around the world. In every post it's important to ask myself, does this fit with my blogs purpose? If the answer is no, it's probably not worth posting. So many times I have exited out of an Instagram photo draft because in the caption I am venting about something. That is being real and transparent, however it's not spreading positivity, so I have to keep myself in check.

One of the first things you should do when creating a blog is mapping out what you see as your purpose. And although your blog my shift and change throughout the years, adding topics and taking some away, you purpose should ultimately stay the same.

Help Others Who Ask For Advice on Starting A Blog

If there is one thing I've learned in business, it's that a scarcity mindset will not get you anywhere. There is enough success in this world to go around, and the best way to make it to the top is not to tear everyone else around you down. I have had countless people message me, at least three people a month, asking how to start a blog. Blogging has become so popular these days that everyone seems to want to give it a try. Not everyone will take it seriously, but it's not my job to poo poo on other's dreams. When people ask for help I do my best to help them out, offering tips and advice and wishing them the absolute best with their blogging journey. A wise woman once told me that dimming other's light does not make your light shine brighter. So, my tip to you is that if you start a blog and have others asking for help... HELP THEM! The blogging community is such a great opportunity for people to come together and lift each other up, but only if we act in that manor.

Embrace The Community

Connect with people in the blogging community. I have met so many amazing people in the blogging world throughout the last three years. Some of which I am so grateful to call friends. In Denver, bloggers are truly blessed with the community, everyone for the most part is so kind, positive and open to connecting. I've heard horror stories about the blogging communities in other cities, it being a very catty environment and not much support from fellow bloggers. I'm so proud and grateful to say that Denver isn't that way. Even the top Denver bloggers are loving and supportive of up and coming bloggers, as it should be. So, network and get connected as you embark on your blogging journey! Heck, even if a great group of friends is all you gained from blogging, that's totally worth it.

PC: Corey Anthony Photography

Be Hungry & Humble To Learn

I am smart enough to know that I don't know it all (think about that for a second). Even when you think you've learned everything you need to know about blogging, there is still SO much more to learn. I attended a blogger event recently and overheard some of the ladies discussing things about their blogs that I had never even heard of before. I quietly listened and then started frantically googling the mysterious words when I got home that night, only to realize... wow I still have a lot to learn about blogging. Building a blog and a powerful brand is not an overnight thing, you don't just learn it all by reading two blog posts on How To Blog and then pow you're a professional blogger. It takes time, patience and lots of effort to learn all there is to know. My mindset is, stay eager to learn and that's how you become the best. When I am around other bloggers, weather they are "bigger" or "smaller" than my blog, I know there is tons I can learn from each of them. I also listen to podcasts, read e-books, watch as many online courses as I can, and join tons of groups that are designed to teaching you about blogging!

Rachel Hollis from The Chic Site has some amazing e-courses, one on social media and one on branding. Pinterest is an amazing search engine for blogging resources. Another helpful group is My Haute Society, a newer group that is designed to connect bloggers and provide resources to help aspiring bloggers. Collective Bias is another great community and site that has an abundance of resources to help you learn.

If you are an aspiring blogger, I hope you found these tips helpful. I absolutely love blogging and like I said before, I can't believe it's already been three amazing years! I cannot wait to see where According To D goes in the future and I thank each and every one of you for following along and supporting me!

Ciao! I am currently in Italy at the moment!! To follow us on our trip, you can find pics and updates on Instagram. We are having a blast and cannot wait to share our experiences with you all!

While I am away I wanted to still have a few blog posts go live. Today I am going to walk you through some of my favorite things at the moment. From books to food to beauty and everywhere in between. One of my favorite things to do is read my favorite blogs and see what those girls have discovered, in fact, a few of my favorites were once recommendations from other bloggers. So, here are my current favorites in all categories of life.

I LOVE THIS BOOK. The subtitle is "creative living beyond fear", and that was a topic I enjoyed so much. If you are a blogger, writer, entrepreneur, artist, etc. I truly believe you will love this book. In the book Elizabeth talks about her theories on creativity, ideas, passion and more. She helped me to understand that I do not need some grand purpose for what I am doing, simply being happy, passionate and pursuing the creative ideas that come my way is enough. With blogging, I really needed to hear that. I'm really not shocked that I love the book since she also wrote Eat Pray Love, another favorite of mine. I went and saw Elizabeth speak live and wow that too was outstanding. If you get the chance, go see her speak. She is a bucket full of wisdom.

Okay this is a true obsession for both myself and my husband. My friend, who is super fit, told me about this "healthy" ice cream. She had previously refereed me to the Arctic Zero ice cream which in my opinion is disgusting and tasted like artificially flavored ice. So I was skeptical when she began to tell me about how good Halo Top ice cream was, but then we tried it. It is so delicious, super creamy and tastes amazing!! The best part, it's about 240 calories per pint (depending on the flavor) and 24 grams of protein. It is gluten free, and has no synthetic growth hormones. We could eat the whole pint and not even feel guilty. It's like eating a protein bar but you really feel like you are getting a cheat in. We have tried the Mint Chip, Lemon Cake and Birthday Cake flavors and love them all. I am not even a lemon fan but I love the lemon cake flavor. This is going to help me kick my gelato cravings when we get home from Italy.

I started collaborating with Rocksbox a few months ago and was so excited when I got the chance to work with them. If you don't know much about them, read THIS blog post. It is a monthly subscription box where you can rent designer jewelry and if you like it you can purchase it (at a discounted price) and if you don't you can send it back for new jewelry. It's been such a blast trying before buying. The best part is that you can earn credit from referring your friends and use that credit to buy jewelry. I have earned so many free Kendra Scott pieces through this program and am loving it!! It's a blast, and you always look so cute.

I swear by this stuff. Any time I am getting sick, I drink a few drops of this mixed with my water and bam... I don't get sick. It works most of the time and I don't get sick as much as I used to. I also love drinking this prior to traveling, since it's easy to catch a cold while traveling. I have used Kick Ass for a few years now and I still love it. I purchase it at Whole Foods. Great stuff!

This favorite obviously won't help everyone, unless you live in or near Arvada, Colorado. I used to be an avid Starbucks drinker, happily spending my $6 on a drink about four times a week. Then for about six times in a row (at different Starbucks locations) my drinks were horrible. The latte or cappuccino foam/froth would be bubbly and gross. It seemed like it was made three hours ago, heated up in a microwave and handed to me. I was pissed each time I opened that lid in hopes of frothy goodness (my favorite part of a coffee drink) and looked down at a poorly made $6 latte. Now, Two Rivers on the other hand, never disappoints! I crave it like crazy now, their espresso and lattes are so creamy and smooth, and they brighten my day with the latte art. Whether you order for there or to go, they have a stunning design in the latte. It is less expensive than Starbucks and actually worth every penny. If you are not in Arvada, I encourage you to simply find a local coffee shop that really respects the art of making coffee. It'll be a much better experience, I promise.

I am such a fan of scoping out different blogs and lifestyle websites. Lauren Conrad's website is such a fun place to find a bit of everything girly, from decor to baking, her site has it all. I also adore looking at her Instagram feed, the photos are always so perfect and inspiring. They make me want a beautiful home to throw parties in all the time, and be the most amazing hostess. Here is a great example of that:

Favorite #7 | Coconut Oil

I recently started using organic unrefined coconut oil for my face lotion. I was nervous to make the switch from face lotion to coconut oil because I thought I would break out bad or have super oily skin. I use it on my face after washing it prior to bed. It took a few weeks for my skin to fully adjust, at first I had a few breakouts but now that my skin is used to it that doesn't happen too much. It leaves my skin soft and I hear it helps with wrinkles (who knows if that is true, but I sure hope it is). Either way, I love knowing that what I am putting on my face is organic and doesn't have added chemicals. I also put it on my body sometimes instead of lotion, only at night though because I find it makes my clothes all greasy. I love rubbing it into my cuticles, it seems to hydrate them great. Also, when my hair gets dry I will put a drop in my hand and work it through the ends of my hair. Basically coconut oil is perfection and seems to work on everything haha!! It's great.

My husband introduced me to this man's music a few years ago and I love it. He creates the perfect relax/chill out music. When I work on my blog post or am doing any busy work I love having his playlist on in the background. It relaxes me and makes me feel inspired and peaceful. I love his song The Promise. It's nice music to have on while doing something because it doesn't have lyrics, so my mind isn't distracted. His music is also nice on an airplane, especially if I am feeling nervous, it is quite calming. Love it!

I hope this list of favorites helped you in some way! I love sharing my latest obsessions with people. Comment below if you made a new discovery from this list or comment letting me know YOUR current favorites. Thanks for reading!

According To D

Everyday Inspirations

Everyday inspirations.

Tips and tricks I've learned in fashion, health, fitness, DIY projects, hair, makeup, travel tips, and so much more!!! As women, we have so much to balance and so many hats to wear at times... We can all use tips to help us through this wild world! That's what this blog is for! Share your life with me as I share mine with you!